UNDEAD GIRL GANG

When Fairmount Academy is rocked by three apparent suicides in the span of a week, it is up to one young Wiccan to conjure up the truth.

Mila Flores dwells on the fringes of Fairmount society: Mexican-American, overweight, and Wiccan, she does not fit the school’s mold for social climbers. The one saving grace has been her friendship with fellow outcast Riley, the white daughter of local funeral home owners—until Riley is found drowned, the third apparent suicide in a row. Mila is sure that Riley would not have killed herself, and when a mysterious grimoire lands on her doorstep complete with a spell to raise the dead, she is sure she has found her answer. Despite the warnings of white, middle-aged lesbian Toby, the local Wiccan shop owner and her would-be mentor, Mila proceeds with the spell, which inevitably goes wrong. Mila must then confront her own fallibility and poor judgment. Toby serves as a valuable corrective for Mila’s mistaken approach to the Wiccan religion; take the depiction of neo-pagan spellwork here with a healthy dose of protective salt. Superlative pacing and writing that flows well make this title stand out.

A well-paced undead romp that would be even more enjoyable without the ties to a specific faith.